Dog Murderer Should Be Charged With Child Abuse

Oh man this is truly sick.

BOULDER - A Butte man accused of shooting a dog and severing its head with a chain saw pleaded not guilty Wednesday to seven charges against him.

John R. Howald, 30, posted bail after District Judge Loren Tucker reduced his bail from $100,000 to $35,000.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.quote.gif
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"Fortunately, no individual human being was hurt, but at the very least you have to describe the allegations in this case as bizarre," Tucker said.

John Howald did not physically hurt anybody because he his aim was off. He tried to cause physical harm to two other people. The dogs family will be traumatised for a very long time and Mr. Howald needs to be held responsible for that.

About 9 p.m. on Sept. 3, Howald allegedly shot a chocolate Labrador named Gunner after the dog wandered into his campsite near Bernice. Court records said Howald cut off the dog's head and threw the head into a campsite occupied by Mike and Brenda Sullivan of Butte, the parents of the dog's owner.

Howald also allegedly threw a beer bottle at a boy in the same area and fired a gun when the boy's father confronted him. Witnesses said Howald was intoxicated.

He is charged with aggravated animal cruelty, attempted aggravated animal cruelty, tampering with evidence, criminal endangerment, two counts of intimidation and misdemeanor criminal mischief.

I cannot believe he got out of jail so easily.

h/t
Article reprinted in full and without permission hopefully under some fair use provisionbecause I don't know how long the Billings Gazette leaves their archives up and I don't know how to get permission.